Central Maine Orthopedics' practice at Minot Avenue in Auburn will offer Central Maine Healthcare ambulatory surgical services and mobile MRI as part of an expanded partnership announced Monday.

by Staff

Central Maine Healthcare and Central Maine Orthopaedics announced an expanded partnership Monday that the organizations say will increase capacity for the Auburn orthopedics practice, strengthen CMH's offerings and provide better access and affordability to patients.

The 12 providers at Central Maine Orthopaedics, which is part of Spectrum Healthcare Partners, already offer orthopedic care at Central Maine Medical Center and throughout the Central Maine Healthcare network. The expansion of the 30-year partnership will "better integrate existing capabilities," including adding CMH's ambulatory surgical center and mobile MRI to the practice's Auburn location, according to a news release from both organizations.

The mobile MRI network already serves patients from central Maine to the Midcoast, including at the new Topsham Care Center, as well as on a rotating basis at Bridgton and Rumford hospitals.

"We're delighted to make best-in-class orthopedics available to more patients in a more convenient and affordable way," said Ryan McKeown, vice president for strategy and managed care at CMH. "In Maine, we have seen an increased need for orthopedic care, particularly joint replacements and minor surgery. This agreement boosts our ability to provide that care — in more locations than simply our traditional hospital setting."

Certified by Joint Commission

The agreement was reached last month, and Monday's announcement came soon after Central Maine Medical Center was certified for the quality of its orthopedic care, the release said. The certification, by the Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest health care accrediting body, highlighted total hip replacement, total knee replacement, total shoulder replacement and hip fracture surgery after a vigorous inspection by the Joint Commission last month.

A reviewer from the Joint Commission called the CMMC orthopedic program a "top tier program in the nation," according to the release.

More than 1 million total joint replacements, which are considered one of the most successful and cost-effective interventions in medicine, are done in the United States every year. At Central Maine Medical Center, 181 total hip replacements, 316 knee replacements, and 45 shoulder replacements were done in 2017. The hospital treated 162 hip fractures.

"We are excited to see these types of collaborations between health systems and other healthcare partners that focus on delivering high-value healthcare," said Peter Hayes, president and CEO of the Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine, a nonprofit organization that supports private employers and public trusts.

"In recent conversations with both CMH and Spectrum, both organizations communicated that they are working hard to offer affordable, high-quality services, and that is exactly what purchasers want to see happening in our state," he said in the news release. "The Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine is looking forward to seeing this collaboration benefit patients and employers alike."

"Central Maine Orthopaedics has had over 30 years of partnership with Central Maine Healthcare. We are committed to our communities and look forward to expanding our partnership to continue to provide high quality and high value care for the patients in our region," said Dr. Matthew Bush, managing director of Spectrum's Central Maine Orthopaedics' practice.